Hi guys!

 

Just a quick one tonight ... I'd like to start making regular backups (to CD-RW) of various files on my PC. One of the main things I'd like to backup is my Outlook inbox. I've searched everywhere for the .dbx file but can't find it anywhere ... do any of you know where uncle Gates has hidden these files? I've managed to find the Outlook Express .dbx files but not Outlook.

 

Your feedback is much appreciated.

 

Cheers!

 

Danny

if you look in outlook - tools/options and then in the maintenance, you'll see a "store folder" option, it's there :)

 

Vijay

if you look in outlook - tools/options and then in the maintenance, you'll see a "store folder" option, it's there :)

 

Vijay

 

Hi Vijay - have had a look at your suggestion but can't find it (there is no "maintenance" under tools/options). Perhaps it would have been useful if I said I am using Outlook 2000 ... Thanks anyway!

 

Cheers!

 

Danny

Danny, Outlook files are .pst

And from memory, the way that Microshaft want you to do Outlook backups is to do File > Import / Export > and then do the export Wizard.

what windows version are you using?

 

Vijay

Yes the easiest way is to export the data but you can download a backup addon from the Microsoft Office site to make it easy.

 

If you want to do it manually then the file is a .pst file stored in:

 

C:\Documents and Settings\*USERNAME*\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

 

Where *USERNAME* is whatever you logon to your PC as.

The Local Settings folder may be hidden too ;)

If you don't want to mess with the built in backup / restore tool in Outlook, an easy way to backup the Outlook file is to run the search from the start menu, select files & folders / all files, type *.pst in the search field and then select the following in the advanced menu:

 

search system folders

search hidden files and folders

search subfolders

 

Make sure Outlook isn't running, hit the search button and then copy the found .pst file(s) onto a CD.

If you don't want to mess with the built in backup / restore tool in Outlook, an easy way to backup the Outlook file is to run the search from the start menu, select files & folders / all files, type *.pst in the search field and then select the following in the advanced menu:

 

search system folders

search hidden files and folders

search subfolders

 

Make sure Outlook isn't running, hit the search button and then copy the found .pst file(s) onto a CD.

 

That's cheating for dummies ;) LOL

Certainly is, but how else do you think I progressed to IT Manager? ;)

Thanks very much to all of you for your help.

 

Gio - I could have :slap: myself because I "knew" that Outlook files are .pst files ... Just another one of those blond moments ...

 

Vijay - I'm running Win98. (I'm just about to buy new components to build an AMD 64 3400 machine and will be running XP when that's done - still trying to find the best places to buy the bits and pieces from).

 

Mujina - the search for *.pst files did it in the end. It was hidden in the Windows\Local Settings\... directory. I should have known because I came across that file before and thought it was weird that there was a 170Mb .pst file sitting there ...

 

ChrisC - thanks for letting me know about the export feature ... now that I know where the file sits it's going to be quicker to just copy it to a CD-R rather than go through a "wizard".

 

Next question - once I've migrated to Windows XP and Office XP (or whatever it is called) will the new version of Outlook have any problems with importing my old inbox?

 

Thanks again for all you help!

 

Danny

Thanks very much to all of you for your help.

 

Next question - once I've migrated to Windows XP and Office XP (or whatever it is called) will the new version of Outlook have any problems with importing my old inbox?

 

Thanks again for all you help!

 

Danny

 

Just did this and it was relatively painless. But maybe this was because I was running the same version of Outlook (2002) on the old Win2k PC as on the new WinXP pro PC. IIRC I used to run Outlook 2000 on the old PC and just upgraded to Outlook 2002 with no probs - it just used the same *.pst file.

 

To ease backups (of Outlook and Word templates etc), I made a new folder (called user settings or something) in My Documents and changed the default settings in Word, Outlook (Data File Management) to keep the templates, pst files etc in there. Then whenever you want to do a backup, just copy that folder to CD.

If you are running 98 then the location will be different to what I posted above.

Can't believe so many people are still using 98 these days! :rolleyes:

 

The good thing is that .pst files WILL import into the newer versions of Outlook.

Danny - can I suggest http://www.komplett.co.uk for the Mainboard and CPU (currently £264 inc VAT for an Athlon64 3400 + Abit KV8 board) and http://www.ebuyer.co.uk for the memory (currently £121 for a matched pair of DDR400 Corsair 512Mb strips).

 

I find the best way is to see what kind of deal you can come to with your local independant computer shop owner, but I also use the companies mentioned above a lot and have never had a problem.

 

Hope that helps

 

Mark